Electric reporter



L t e e h s S t e e h S 6 T R 0 Rm OR U M T .0 ME L E .Mvn. d 0 M 0 w No. 496,207. Patented Apr. '25, 1893.

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. M. D. PORTER.

ELECTRIC REPORTER- No. 496,207. Patented Apr. 25, 1893;

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' M. D. PORTER.

ELECTRIC REPORTER.

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M. 1). PORTER. ELECTRIC REPORTER.

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M. D. PORTER.

ELEGTRIG REPORTER; No. 496,207.

Patented Apr. 25, 1898.

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MAJOR DANE PORTER, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO THE NATIONAL ELECTRICAL MANUFACTURING COM- PANY, NEW' JERSEY.

ELECTRIC REPORTE R.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 496,207, dated April 25, 1893.

Application filed November 27; 1886- Serial No. 220,088 (No model.)

To all whom it may concern: 7

Be it known that I, MAJOR DANE PORTER, residing at Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electric Reporters; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification. v

My invention relates to an improvement in that form of electrical indicating apparatus in-which reporters on variable signal transmitters located at sub-stations are respective] y identified by an automatically operated re ceiver located at a central station and reproducing reports or wants designated by such reporters, the object being to simplify,w.iden the range and increase the general efiiciency of such ail-apparatus. I

"With these ends in view my invention consists in certain details of construction and combinations of parts as will be hereinafter described and pointed out in the claims.

r I In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 is a view in front elevation of a reporter embodying my invention with the lower portions of its glass and dial broken away to expose its mechanism. Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view of such reporter looking towardthe outer face of its armature.

elevation of the receiver. Fig. 4 is a general view in elevation of its mechanism which is attached to'the back of the door of its casing.

3 5 Fig. 5 is a view inelevation of the several circular series of terminal plates, the contact rings, the circuit-closer, driving, and make-, and break-wheels, the motor, the operatinglever,'the locks and some adjuncts of such parts. Fig. 6 is a view of the said parts partly in plan and partly in section and showing also the door of the casin g, the dial and the pointer of the receiver. Fig. 7 is a view in elevation from the motor side of the receiver, of the said wheels and lever, the main-magnet, the

, report-drum, and the operating connections j of the latter. Fig. 8 is a view partly in elevation and partly in section looking in the same direction and showing the upper and so'lower ends of the operating-lever and their Fig. 3 is a View in front connections; and Fig, 9 is a diagram showing the electrical connections in the respective reporters, in the receiver and between them. The dial A of each reporter is divided into a circular series of radial compartments B of which the uppermost contains a star indicating the zero point and each of the remainder a report, the whole number of reports embracing a series of wants covering the ordinary wantsof a guest at a hotel with a few specials which will cover particular wants, identifying memoranda for 'which may be left with the operator at the office by each guest. The said dial is mounted in a case composed of a back 0 and a ring D, and protected by a centrally perforated glass dish E mounted in the outer edge of the said ring so as to leave a space between it and the dial. A frame F located within such case and secured to the back C thereof by pillars G, has journaled in it an arbor H proj ectin g centrally through the dial and through and beyond the glass. This arbor is provided upon its projecting outer end with a knurled, thumb-nut ltiirough which it'is turned to bring the pointer J, rigidly secured to it and located between the glass and the dial, into alignment with any of the several compartments of the latter. A spur-wheel K having the same number of :teeth that the dial has compartment-s is also 'igidly secured to the arbor, beinglocated'w "n the frame and arranged so that its respective teeth correspond to the respective compartments B and so that its rotation in either direction through a space represented by one or more of its teeth will be accompanied bya movementof the pointer over a corresponding number of compartments. The said wheel is provided with a sleeve L having at its rear end a flange M 0 into the periphery of which is set a block N of insulating material. The wheel is embraced and actuated by an anchor-shaped pallet 0 provided with an arm P carrying an armature Q, and pivotally mounted l in the 5 frame F upon centers R. The said armature. is located in the presence of one pole of a magnet S secured to an angle-plate T attached to and offsetting from the said frame. One end of the magnet-coil is connected I00 cured withv the mechanism and theelectrical for a three hundred room hotel.

will be hereinafter described. 'lhe'said numthrough a wire U with a flexible finger V engaging with the periphery of the flange M and with the block N located therein, and mounted upon a block W of insulating material secured to the back aforesaid. H

The wire X is a special-wire and leads from the other end-of the magnet-coil to the receiver. The wire Y leads from the frame F to the main wireZalso leading to the receiver and having all the reporter magnets connected with it. The pointer J, the spur-wheel K and the insulating block N are-relatively arranged so that normally the pointer will point to the star uponthe dialA and so that the finger V will normally engage with the block N, leaving the' circuit through the reporter open.

The receiver, as herein shown,v is designed It is located in a casing A provided with a door carrying upon its outer face a dial C having a circular series of numbers proceeding from one to one hundred, running from left to right and beginning at the center of the lower edge of the dial which is provided just above such point with the numbers 1 and 2 in large characters and normally concealed by drops 1), D carried by rotating spindles E, E operated to reverse the positions of the drops and expose and conceal the said numbers as bers 1 and 2 are respectively used with the outer series of numbers to indicateall the numbers from one hundred and one up to two hundred and from two hundred and one up to three hundred, whereby the confusion which would result from, and the space which would be required by, a series running from one to three hundred is avoided. By the use of more single numbers and drops the range of the receiver may be further increased without enlarging the dial. A hand F carried bya rotating spindle G projecting through the dial, is normally at rest, being started and swept over the dial and stopped against the several numbers in the circular series aforesaid. Centrally above the said spindle and within the numbers is an opening ll formed in the dial and extending through the door 13 into the interior of the; aging, A and exposing separately or oneat lagimc the reports of a series corresponding. in matter to thereports uponthe dials of thereporters butot reverse arrangement and displayed upon the periphery of a reportdrnm l"forming a part of the receiver antiseconnections. thereof, to the back of the said \vires'X lcading'from the reportcrsof which three hundred. At these posts the circuit of each reporteris branched,'into what will be termed a main and a relay circuit, by wires K and 1, respectively leading from the posts to contact-plates M, of which there is one for each reporter, and to contact finnet U. This magnet is connected througha line V, with the main line Z of the apparatus, taking in but one element of the main battery W located in the line Z, so that when two or more reporters are set at the same time there will not be enough battery on to actuate their magnets S inadvancing their 'pointers J a step ahead of the right relations'of the same to the reports upon thedruml, and cause confusion of wants. One element of the battery will, however, be sufiicient to 0perate the magnet, S, of one transmitter or reporter. j

The closing of a circuit in any one of the reporters, the circuits through all of the contactfingers N being closed, sends a current through the magnetU which then releases All of the so cailed main circuits The said fingers are arthe spring-actuated spindle T, permitting the same to be rotated by its spring and bring" through the said battery and motor, the latter being then started. A cam B located at the opposite end of. the spindle from the cam T and shown by Fig. 5 of the drawings, is provided for turning the spindle back to its normal position as will be described hereinafter.

The actuation of the motor operates through pinion C gear-wheel D and pinion E to start a driving-wheel F mounted upon the spindle G which is journaled in two three-armed frame-plates 11 11 secured together by posts I and to the door B through which the forward end of thesaid spindle projectsto carry the hand F before mentioned. The said driving-wheel is provided with a hub J 2 and frictionally coupled with the spindle G by means of a disk-spring K attached to it and bearing against the hub L of a circuit-closer wheel M the same being rigidly secured to the spindle by a set-screw N located in its hub. A make and break wheel 0' having a hub P is sleeved over the hub J of the drivingwheel F with which it is frictionally coupled through a spring-plate Q engaging at its center with the hub J and secured at its ends to the hub 1 by screws R which are adjusted for regulatingjhe amount of friction developed between the two hubs. The said drivin g-ci rcn it, closer, and make-and-break wheels are located between two collars S, S which are adjusted on the spindle for regulating the with the main magnetY while the middle 5 Y terposed in them, respectively, annular magtension of the spring F The circuit-closer wheel is provided at different distances from its cen-ter with three insulated circuit-closers each having -two flexible arms and respectlvely arranged for contact with the plates M and concentric series of mounted upon three equidistant Qne..arm= of each circuit-closer engages with theplatesof the proper series and the other S I rials olf'the respective reporters of which those arni with the rings of such series. The said plates-M constitute the main-circuit termiinthe rooms of the hotel numbered from one up to one-hundred have their terminals in the i'nner series of plates, those in rooms numberedfrom one hundred and one through two hundred in the middle series and those numbered from two hundred and one through threehu'ndred', in the outer-series. The inner ring, which co-operates with the inner series of plates, .is connected through line X and outer rings,respectivel y co-operating with the middle and outer series of plates, areconnected Withsuch "magnet by branch lines Z Z? connecting with the line X and having innets A A for releasing, the spindles E, E

carrying the drops D, D normally concealing the large characters 1 and 2 upon the :dial. The said spindlesare journaled in frames B, 13 secured to the back of the door 'l3-,--pass through the respective magnets A A' 'which are mounted in the said frames, project through the said door and carry the drops upon' their projecting outer ends. Each of the said magnets is provided with an armaturel') carrying a pin 0 and each of the said spindles isencircled by a spiral-spring 1? carrying at its forward end a toothed collar E,

"the opposite eiids of the springsbeing attached to the respective frames B B Each spindle and each frame are also provided with a pin G suchpins being arranged to stop the spindlesat the half rotationr Normally the pins C? are engaged with the toothed collars,

' wliereby the spindles are held with the drops I), D5: in inverted positions. hen, however,

' circuits are closed throughthe magnets their armatur'esare attracted, disengaging the pins 'C 'f'roiiir the collars E and leaving the spindles free-td rotateand reverse the drops. The extreme inner end of each spindle is provided ith a cam li as shown. A bent contact-fine'r l and a contact fingerJ respectively con- "directed with the lines Z and Ziare provided o'r'eaehof'the cams-H Normallysuch cams erein contact with. the respective bent fingers bntwhenthe spindles are turned they a-re engaged with the fingers J, J without, howver, breaking contact with the bent fingers.

The magnets are thus cut out of circuit after 'iitheyhave done their work of releasing the spindles, and the resistance in the main line during the later phases in the operation of the apparatus reduced. Each spindle is also provided with a cam K located between the forward end of its magnet and the door B, for turning it back to its normal position and thus restoring its drop, as will be described later on.

It may be here noted that the relay-magnet U and its spring-actuated spindle T as herecam L provided at one end with'an opening M having teeth N 3 at its lower extremity, and at its other end with a rounded edge O as shown. It is mounted through its openings upon the spindle G which is provided with a circular series of teeth P adapting it for the coupling with itof the said cam which is lifted for the engagement of its teeth N with the teeth P This is done by means of a lifting-lever Q provided upon its upper face with a lug R engaging with the edge 0 of the cam, located below the spindle G, pivoted to the door B, supported in operative position by a stud S and furnished at its free end with a pin T engaged by an upward extension U -from the cross-arm V of the operating lever \V The said lever is movably secured by a strap X to theback of the door and provided with a projecting arm Y carrying an insulated contact-finger Z -connected with the main magnet through a line A". Such finger is arranged for its engagement with the periphery of the make-andbreak wheel through which and the spindle G,the frame-plates H II and the vline B the circuit is completed through the main line. \Vhen, in the rota tion of the spindle G by the'motor, the interval-cam has been carried beyond the lug R of the lifting-lever, the operating-lever is at once elevated to engage the contact-finger Z with the m'akeand-break wheel, by a spiral spring C interposed between the arm Y and a ledge D -projecting inwardly from the lower edge of the door, and encircling a rod E mounted upon such ledge and extending upward through such arm.

The mechanism above described secures an interval between the closing of a circuit through any reporter and the closing of a circuit through the receiver-terminalof the same. Such interval is necessary in order to give time for setting the reporters and for the reason that as the motor circuit is closed and the circuit-closer wheel started as soon as the pointer of a reporter ismoved in either direction away from its zero point, it is necessary to provide time in which to move the pointer at least half way around the dial if need be before the circuitis closed through the receiver-terminal of the reporter; otherwise if it happened that the circuit-closer of the series of terminal-plates including the plate of the particular reporter being set were near, and to the rear of, such plate, then in the rotation-of the wheel and the sweeping of the circuit-closer overthe plates the circuit would-be closed in the receiver before the guest had had time to ,move the pointer to the desired report in which case the report displayed by the receiver would be that under the reporter-pointer at the actual time that the closing of the circuit in the re'- ceiveroccurred and this would probably be when the pointer was against one of the compartments-next adjacent to thejstar or zero compartment. All confusion like this is avoided by'the interpositiomas it were, of an interval between the closingof the circuit in any reporter and the starting of the apparatus and the closing of a circuit through to the circuit-closers. At the same upward move;

. ment of the operatingrlever that engages the finger Z with the. make-and-break wheel and just 'be' fore such engagement occurs, the circuits through allflof the fingers N are simultaneousl y brokenby the rotation of the makeand-b alt rods Q to bring their inlaid, ipsu-' lating strips P under the ends of the said fin gers, the rods being each provided with an arm 1 connected through pins G with a plate Hi made vertically movable through elongated slots 1" formed'in it and receiving headed pins J securing it to one of the frames M. The said plate is also provided with an elongated slot K receiving an arm L offsetting from the lower end of the operating-lever and normally. located at the upper end of the said slot K so as to immediately lift the plate and turn the rods when the operating-lever is elevated at the termination of the interval.

wheel keeps on rotating with the hand F sweeping over the face of the dial 0 until one of the circuit-closers finds the terminalplatc of the particular reporter which has been set and had the circuit closed in it.' Such terminal plate having been found a circuit is closed through the circuit-closer, the contact:

ring engaged by it, the line Xithe main-magnet Y the line A, the contact-finger Z, the

make-and-break wheel, the s'pindle'G', the frame-plates I1 11 the line B, the battery W, i

- the main-line Z, the line Y of the reporter, the

reporter-magnet, the line X of the reporter,

Opposite from the arm L is an arm M to which is sethe branch line K leading from the line X and the terminal plate M of the reporter, such 1 plate being in contact with the circuit-closer aforesaid. If the said plate is located in either'the outer or the middle series'thecir;

cuit will also be closed through onepf t. e

magnets A The energization'pf the. ma n magnet resulting vfrom the closing of themain circuit as described causesit to attract its armature P 'and move an arm Q depending therefrom and provided at its lower end with a spring catch R engaging with detent ,T mounted upon a rocking-arbor U jou-rnaled between the frames H H and encircled by a spring V1 arranged to exert a constant tendency to turn' the arbor and throw the detent toward the ClI'GUii'rOiOSQI' wheel.

The moving of the'said arm Q by the arma ture disengages the spring-catch R from the be'rof the room containing the reporter which has been set;

in case the circuit wasclosed through one of the magnets A one of the drops D, D will fall and expose oneof the large numbers 1 and 2 upon the dial, the number so exposed indicating, in conjunction with the number against which the pointer was stopped, the

number of the room in which the reporter operated is located.

It will be understood that the detent oper-' ates as described to stop the circuit-closer wheel immediately upon the closing of a circuit through the terminal plate of the reporter. The said detent Ti. is provided with a stud Vt which in the normal and elevated position of the detent is engaged with a contact-finger X which is thereby normally held out of contact with a contact-finger Y forming the other terminal of the circuit of a bell Z interposed in the main line Z and of any approved construction. When the detent is thrown forward the finger X" drops and engages with the finger Y closing the bell-circuit. The ringing of the bell attracts the attention of the operator to the dial which indicates the room from which the call is sent. tial feature of the apparatus and may be left out if desired. y

The make-and-brcak wheel 0 is normally locked by a stop A secured to and depending from the rocking arbor U and swung away from and releasing the make-and-break wheel simultaneously with the forward movement of the detent for locking thecircuitcloser wheel which with the a. spindle G and the driving-wheel F has been rotated against the friction developed between the hubs P and J and the friction-plate Q already described. The closing of a circuit through a terminal-plate and its appropriate contact rings having effected the stopping of tlie cir- This bell is not considered an essentoo chit-closer wheel andthe releaseof the makeand-break wheel,the latter is now rotated by v the motor againstthe friction between. the

disk-spring'K v and the hub L of the circuitcloser, wheel and with the finger Z in engagement with its notched periphery, whereby the circuit through theapparatus is alternately openedi'and-closed. Each time that tliisoccurs the main magnet Y is energized and attracts its armature P to-whieh' is attached an anchor-shaped pallet 13? controlled'by an ad- ;usting-spring C and actuating a star-wheel I)? mounted upon a shaft E journaled in bearings F secu-redtoi the door B, one ofsuch bearings being extended to-carry the said armature and pallet-which are pivoted to it. The drum 1 is mounted upon the said shaft and displays "upon its periphery the same'reports as are'found upon the dials of the; reporters, under a reversed arrangement.

. Every time-the circu'iti'n the mainline is made and broken the said drum is advanced:

to expose a different report through the'aperture H in the dialC' of the receiver. Every time alsothat such circuit .is made and brokenthe magnet in the distant reporter is ,energized-and operates the pallet thereof in rotating the spur-'wheel of the reporter a distance represented by one of its'te'eth in areverse direction from which it was rotated.

-. when the reporter was set by the hand of.

the guest. The making'and breaking of the main circuit, effected by the rotation of the make-and break wheel, the advancing of the d'rum and the. retrograde movement of the spurrwheel of. the reporter continue until theinsulating block'N ofthe reporting instrument is brought under the contact-finger V thereof when the circuit through the 'main line will be broken, leaving the pointer J against the star or zero compartment of the dial of the reporterand the drum I of the receiver exposing through the aperture 'in the dial thereof a report correspondingonly to putitin condition to. be operated by another reporter to indicate another room and wan t.

that tbestepping back of the pointer of the reporter, as described, at once indicates to the down through its handle 0 the operating lever 7 which is provided at its upper end with two linksGi Gr carrying a rack H held by a spring 1 in contact with a ratchet-wheel J -frictionaliy coupled with the shaft E carrying the report-drum as aforesaid As the lever is, pulled down the rack rotates .the

ratchet-wheel, the shaft and the drum until the shaft and hence thedrum is stopped by the pins K and L respectively secured to the Itis to be noted in this connection shaft-and to'oneof the hearings F thereof, such pinsbeing arranged to stop the shaft lll position to leave the drum with its zero point,

which corresponds to the star compartment of the dial of each reporter, in front of theopening H inthe dial of the receiver. If the stop pins engage before the lever is pulled clear dow'n,'the ratchet-wheel then slips upon the shaft until the lever reaches the limit of its downward movement.- The pulling down of the operating lever also operates to unlock the circuit-closer wheel and to lock the makeand-break wheel and this through a pin M? located upon the lever and engaging with the end of alever pivoted to the back of the door B, having its outer end, 0 weighted, and provided with an arm P engaging with apin Q 'located upon'the rear face of thedetent T as shown. As the end N of the weighted levenis depressed by thepulling down of the operating-lever, the detent is reengaged withthe spring-catch R while the stop A? is carried toward and engaged with ,the makeand-breakwheel. Also, when the operating-lever is pulleddown the interva-l-cam L swingsback over the lug R upon the upper face of the lifting-lever Q so as ;to beQi-nposition to be lifted by the said lever and coupled with the spindle G when the operating-lever makes the partial up- Ward movement as will be explained. in being pulled'down the operating lever also restores the drops D, D to their normal positions, incase they have been thrown down as herein provided for, by the engagement of fingers 3 R depending from the crossarm V? of the lever, with the cams K K secured to the spindles E,'-E' carrying the drops. Furthermore in being pulled down the operating lever breaks the motor circuit and stops the motor by turning the spindle T back to its normal position through'the cam B which is engaged bya finger S depending from the said cross-arm of the operating lever. Finally, in being pulled down the operating lever t-urnsall of therotary make-and-break rods and closes circuit through all of the fingers N"; After the lever has been carried to the limit of its downward movement it is re leased when it is lifted by'its spring (Jinnah- .ing a partial upward movement in which it elevates the lifting-lever Q which in turn raises the interval cam L and couples itwit-h the spindle G. The said lifting-lever, and its connections, as may be'fnrther explained, sustain the interval-cam normally coupled with the spindle G with which it moves through a short are while its rounded edge 0 rolls or slides over the lug R until, in the'ro tation of the spindle, the said edge of the cam is carried beyond the lug. After this the cam drops down by gravity, whereby its teeth are disengaged from those of the spindle from which it now hangs idly in a canted position until the pulling down of the operatinglever removes the lug 1?. from its path and permits lifted awayfrom the circuit-closer wheel and it to swing back over the said lug which, in the partial upward movement just described of the operating-lever, lifts the cam and recouples it with the spindle G. This moveinent of the operating-lever also brings the parts into position for immediately turning the rods 0' to bring their inlaid insulating strips P incontac't with all of the fingers N" and for the-immediate contact otthe finger Z with the make-and-break wheel, at the ex piration of'the-interval obtainedby the interval-cam as has been fully set forth.

Having fullydescribed my improved apparatus 1 will now give aurexampleof'its'operation. Let it be assumed that the guest in room numbered 268 desire'sth'at a porterbe' sent to him. He goes to the reporter, in his room and turns its pointer against the word .Porter which beginning with-{ he star-compartment on the dial is in the'fou'rth compartment to the right, the described movementof" the pointer also moving the spur-wheel of the reporter in the same direction through a dis-- tance represented'by three of its vteeth. This.

closes a circuit through the instrument by bringing its flange M into contact withits finger V, and sends a current through that particular one of the fingers N with which it is connected and through the relay-magnet U, the same at once operating to release the spring-actuated spindle T which rotates and closes the motor-circuit. The motor then starts the circuit-closer wheel and the spindle G'in rotation, the latter carrying the interval-cam which after an interval is carried beyond and disengaged from the lifting-lever, permitting the operating lever to be lifted by it's spring to the limit of its upward movement. Such elevation of the operating-lever operates to turn all of the makeand-break rods and break all of *cireuits through the fingers N'and then to engage the finger Z with the make-and-break wheel. The circuit-closed wheel continues to rotate until its outer circuit-closer finds the contactplate of the reporter in room 268, when a circuit will be closed through such circuitcloser, the outer contact -ring, the branch line Z leading from such ring, the magnet A located in such branch, the line X the magnet i", the'line A, the finger Z the make and-break wheel, the spindle G, the frameplates H H, the line B, the battery VV', the main-line Z, theline Y of'the reporter in room 268, the magnet of such reporter, the line X ot'the reporter, the line K leading from the line X and the terminal-plate of the reporter, such plate being in contact with the outer circuit closer. The energization of the said magnet A causes it to release the spindle passing through it, the spindle being then rotated to reverse the drop carried by it and expose the large figure 2 upon the dial, while the simultaneous energization of the main- I magnet causes it to attractits armature which moves the arm Q so as to release the detent J whichis at once thrown forward by the spring V and engaged with the circuit-closer wheel, stopping the same and the spindle G with the hand T against the number 68 of the circular series of. numbers on the dial.

Such number being read with the figure 2 disclosed by the inversion of the drop lildi- 'cates that the reporter in room No. 268 has been set. The falling of the said detent as described permits the vfinger X to contact circuit. The bell then rings and calls the attention of the operator to the dial ot the receiver. As the detent is thrown forward the stop A is thrown outward and disengaged.

the spindle G being now locked against rotation. by the detent. As the make-and-break wheel is rotated the circuit above described is' alternatelymade and broken and for each time that this occurs thepointer of the rewith the finger Y and so closefthe local bell porter in room 268 will he stepped back one step or in other words through the distance represented by one tooth of the spur wheel of the reporter, one tooth of such wheel being also equivalent to one compartment of the dial, while thedrum will be advanced one step, which is to say one tooth of its star-wheel and one report uponits periphery. As the reporter-pointer moves to its fourth step bringing the block N under the finger V of the instrument the circuit will be broken in the reporter leaving the pointer thereof at the star compartment and the drum'advanced four steps and hence exposing the word Porter through the dial of the receiver, the'order of the reports in the reporters and upon the report drum being reversed. The receiver having now automatically brought in the num ber of the room and the want, thehandle of the operating-lever isseized and the lever pulled down, thereby turning the drum back to its starting or zero point. This movement of the lever together with its partial upward movement occurring immediately afterward also restores the other parts of the receiver to their normal positions. In case more than one reporter is set at once that one will be first to have its number and report brought in, which, after the interval, has its terminal plate in advance of and nearest to its circuitcloser. After the number and want of such reporter-have been brought in the operating V the apparatus illustrated there might be a reers, a circuit-closer for contact with such terhere and wants are brought in without conthrough its receiver-terminal, and a circuit give any orders that may be called for by the reports. It will thus be seen that although several reporters are set at the same time no interference results but that the several numfusion in the order of the nearness of their terminal-plates to theoircuit-closers which discriminate only in favor of plates ahead of them.

If desired each block or group of reporters mayhave a separate return wire. Thus inturn wire for each hundred reporters. It is apparent that inyinvention is not limited to the application herein shown but that it may be used in all situations where it is desired to specify a report at one station and reproduce it at another with means foridentifying the specifying station. I would therefore have it understood that I do not limit myself to the exact construction and arrangement of parts herein shown and described but hold myself at liberty to make such changes and alterations as fairly fall within thespirit and scope of my invention.

Having fullydescribed my claim as'new, Patent, is l. I

.1. The combinationxyvith a number of reporters, ofa receiverhavingaseries of terminals respeetivelyieonnected with the reporters, acircuit-closerforcontactwith such terminals, automatic interval mechanismincluding an interva'hca n for producing an injterval between the closi ng of a circuit through ia reporter and through its receiver-terminal and a circuit-closercofoperatingwith'the'said cam, substantially as set forth. a 2. The combinationwith a number not; reporters, of a receiver having aseriesf'of terminals respectively connected with thelgeporh ers, a circuit-closer for contactwith su chxtere minals, automatic interval mechanism inclu ing an interval-cam located at the receivin station for securing an interval between-the closing of a circuit through a reporter and invention, what I and des reto secure by Letters closer co-operating with the said cam substantially asset forth.

3. The combination with a number of reporters, of a receiver having a series of terminals respectively connected with the reportminals, an automatic interval mechanism located at the receiving station and including aninterval cam, for producing an interval between the closing of a circuit through the re-' porter and through its receiver terminal, and a circuit-closer co-operating with the said cam substantially as set forth.

4. The combination with a number of reporters, of a receiver having a circular series of terminals respectively connected with such reporters, a revolving circuit-closer for contact with such terminals, a shaft carrying such circuit-closer, an interval-cam, and circuit-closing mechanism released by the cam after the shaft has been started rotating, sub- 6. The combination with a number of reporters, of a receiver having a circular series of terminals respectively connected with the reporters, a dial for specifying the reporters, means for specifying the reports, a pointer to sweep the dial,a rotating shaft carrying such pointer, a circuit-closer wheel, a circuit-closer carried thereby, a lock forsuch wheel, a make and-break wheel, a lock therefor and a magnet-located in the main circuit which extends between the reporters and the said receiver,

the said lock being controlled in looking the circuit-closer wheel and unlocking the-makeand-break wheelby such magnet and the circuit made and broken by the make and break wheel operating to restore the reporter at the sending station to zero and to operate the means for specifying or reproducingxthe re-. port, substantially as set forth.

- 7. The combination with a number of reporters, of a receiver having a circuit-closer wheel and a make-'and-break w heel, locks mounted on the same center and swinging in oppositedirections for such wheels and ahandlever adapted to be coupled with such locks and swing them to unlock the circuit-closer wheel and to lock the make-and-break wheel, substantially as set forth.

8.. The combination with a number of repdrters, of a receiver gaged in its operation by-thespecific operation of any of the reportersrandhaving interval mechanism for obj tainin'g"an intervalbetween the closing of a ndthe closingof a. circuit echanism! easedforoperation bythe interval mechanism-sand a manually operating-lever to. 'restoreithe circuit-closing mechanism to its normal. position, substantially as set forth.."-i 1 j:

9. The combination with a number of re-- 1 5 ceiveraterggilnal of the same cirporters, of a receiver gaged in its operation by the specific operation of any of the report'- ers and having acircuit-closer, interval mechanism set in operation by closing the circuit at a reporter and co-operating with the circuit closer for securing an interval between the closing of a circuitin any of the reporters and the closing of a circuit through the receiver-terminal of the same, and an operatinglover carrying a. terminal of the main line and released and normally engaged by the interval mechanism, substantially as set forth.

10. The combination with anumber of reporters, of a receiver having a terminal of each reporter, the said terminals bein g grouped in blocks respectively located in branches of the main line, the said receiver being also provided with block-indicators located in the said branches and with 'a hand lever for restoring such indicators to their normal positiongsubstantially as set forth.

11. The combination with a. number ofreporters, of a receiver having two or more air-- porters andlocated in a plane above that, of

the reporter-terminals, a pointer sweeping the dial and connected with the, circuit-closer shaft, locking mechanism for locking the pointer or locating-indicator after its operation--,- drops for indicating the respective.

blocks, located in the branches thereof, and

placed within the area swept by, the pointer, a want-indicator, a. make-and-break'or want wheel, co-operating with the said want-indi- J cator; and a hand lever constructed to in one movement operate the gang-switch, the drops, I

the locking-mechanism and the wan t-indi'cator, substantially as set forth,

12. The combination with a number of reporters, ofa receiver'having two or more circular series of reporter-terminals, each forming an isolated block and respectively located in branches of the main-line which extends between the reporter and the receiver; an

electrically -inoved, rovoluble, insulated cirj cult-closer, and a concentric contact ring en-' gaged thereby for each of the said series, the

said. rings being located in'the mainline; an

electrically started gang-switch inrwhich the individual circuits leading from the receiver to the respective reporters are simultaneously broken and closed, a dial specifying the re-' porters, and located in a plane above that of the reporter terminals, a pointer sweeping the dial, a circuit-closer wheel carrying the said circuit-closers, a shaft carryingthe, said wheel and the pointer, loekingemechanism to engage with the said circuit-closer wheel to lock the sameafter its operation, a make-and-brcak;

wheel, awant-indicator co-acting with the inake-and-break wheel, drops for locating the respective blocks, located in the branches thereof, and placed within the areaswept by the pointer; and a hand-lever constructedto in one movement operate the gang-switch, the

, drops, thelockin'g-mechanism and the wantindieator, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof 'I have signed this specification in'the presence of twosubsc'rib; ing witnesses.

Witnessesr CHAS. B. SHUMWAY,

J AMES G. CLARK,

MAJOR DA E PORTER... 

